Here's My Heart
by HanaYuuki Tensha
Summary: Five new Planeteers arrive, holding rings with abilities to summon Amazoness, during Summer vacation.
1. Chapter 1Prologue

Here's My Heart- by Nina Bechtold  
_______________________________________________________________  
-Prologue-  
  
Stepping into the cold hospital room where her aunt lay   
helpless, Kathrina Blight stared sadly at the stranger. Aunt   
Barb hadn't been very keen about the environment until she   
found out why her body had started to deteriorate. Some of the   
chemicals found in gasoline, like gashol, had been irratating   
her once beautiful skin and lungs- in short, she was allergic   
to gashol. Looking at the newly honored Planeteer, Barbara   
Blight smiled. "Kathrina, my dear girl, why are you crying?"  
  
Looking even more upset, Kathrina, a sweet girl   
from France, said,"Ah, mi, Aunt Barb- Doctor McGrey has told me   
that you shall die soon." Tears started again. "Oh, sil vous   
plait! Tell me c'est faux! Tell me it's a lie, Aunt Barb!"  
  
"No, Kathrina. I only wish it were. Before I die, though, I   
want you to know something that I haven't been able to say."  
With a painful deep breath, she said,"I gave you to your aunt   
Serena. I was too busy to take care of you, much less myself.   
I am your birth mother. Please forgive me for not telling you   
when you came of age to know." With another gasp, Barbara   
Blight slipped into a coma, leaving Kathrina to wonder why her   
real aunt, Aunt Serena, hadn't told her this before she died. 


	2. Chapter 2

Here's My Heart  
-Chapter 1-  
___________________________________________________________________  
"Kya!," came Gi's screach as Kwame threw her into the deep   
water off the coast of Hope Island, causing Ma-Ti, who had been   
tanning, to zoom back to reality. The five college students were   
relaxing from two semesters of cramming brain-torture. It was   
summer vacation at last! Knowing that they were going to be very   
busy this summer, they had all agreed with Gaia that, between each   
Planeteer alert that didn't go one after another, the group would   
get some time to be their normal selves.  
  
Off in the deep, near where Kwame had tossed Gi,   
who was now trying to splash water him, was Wheeler, who was   
piloting the Geo-Boat. Linka was with him, but she was sitting in   
the other chair, simply enjoying the fresh air and the boat ride-   
oh, and the cute redhead piloting it, too. It was apparrent that   
whatever jokes Wheeler was telling her, Linka was enjoying them- or   
was it the joke-teller? Ma-Ti couldn't tell anymore. Besides, he   
had eavesdropped on Wheeler's and Linka's emotions so many times   
that he knew for sure they were in love, but when it came to those   
jokes, which were almost always corny, he had no idea what to   
think!  
  
Suddenly, just as he was getting   
ready to take another nap, his communicator went off. Of all the   
times to pick for a Planeteer alert, why now? he thought. They   
may have been around the island, but Gaia took no chances-   
wherever any of them went, they had to have their communicators.  
He could see Wheeler zooming to get Gi and Kwame to head back to   
the shore, Linka talking with Gaia, who did not need to ask Ma-Ti   
to return from the ocean. 


	3. Chapter 3

-Chapter 2-  
_____________________________________________________________________  
Wheeler snuck a looked at the lovely blonde in the   
passenger's seat of the Geo-Boat and smiled- he had never been   
nervous around girls until Linka came along. He always been trying   
to get their attention and he'd always get negative feedback, in   
computer terms. With Linka, however, he never had to try to get her   
attention- it was his from the moment they met on the shore of Hope   
Island, which was a very pleasant first. The only problem was that   
neither of them was bold (or brazen) enough to ask for anything more   
than a good friendship. He wanted something to be done about it,   
but he had no clue what it was he wanted.  
  
Linka spotted him peeking at her from the   
corner of her eye and said, in a teasingly annoyed voice, "Keep your   
eyes on the destination, Wheeler. You American boys may think I   
can't see you watching me, but I have eyes on the side of my face,   
just so I can catch you!" There was a smirk on her lips when she   
said that.  
  
Wheeler laughed contentedly as he returned his attention   
back to the watery road. "Yes, ma'am!"  
  
"Ah, Linka," Gi said, "I think the phrase is 'In the back   
of my head', not 'On the side of my face.'" Even when she was in a   
good mood, she was always practical.  
  
Good old Gi, Linka though before replying playfully, "Nyet, Gi- not   
for my Wheeler! I saw him watching me out of the corner of my eye."  
  
Surprised at what he heard come from Linka,   
Wheeler, who had gotten out to help Ma-Ti dock the Geo-Boat, looked   
at the Russian beauty. "Huh? What was that, Babe," he asked with   
as much surprise in his voice as was in his mind.  
  
"Oh, only that you're my Wheeler," Linka replied in   
a girlish voice. Then she looked at the sand they now stood in and   
sweetly mummbled, "That is, if you want to be."  
  
Wheeler wished that they had more time to   
talk privately, but they had to go and talk with Gaia- his wish   
would have to wait. "Let me think about it for a little while, okay?   
We need to head inside- Gaia needs us."  
  
Drat, Linka thought, if only we had more time between emergencies.  
Wheeler was thinking the same thing she was. 


	4. Chapter 4

-Chapter 4-  
___________________________________________________________________________  
Gaia was talking with a handsome guy who looked almost like a Roman   
god when the group arrived inside the Fortress of Hope. She was so in   
love as they talked. It was amazing that she noticed when they entered   
and was able to compose herself temporarily. "We have six new residents   
on Hope Island, Planeteers. Five are new additions to your group, making   
it an even ten with the addition of two young men and three young women.   
This one, however," refering to the Roman-like guy, "is Gaius, an old   
friend of mine- he, too, is a spirit of Earth." After they had all greeted   
Gaius and introduced themselves, Gaia continued.  
  
"The other five have already arrived and will be meeting with you   
at anytime today. Each of them will need you all to make them feel very   
welcome. You may continue with whatever you were doing before this, but,   
if any of the new Planeteers decide to join, please let them- it may take   
some of them a longer time than others to get use to this place. You are   
now dismissed to continue with you're activities." This did not sound at   
all like Gaia, but none of them questioned her, nor did they want to- she   
was in love and it was good to have her in this mood. Whatever they did,   
however, they would all obey her wish to let the five new Planeteers get   
in on the fun. If they didn't, she would not be very happy about it. 


	5. Chapter 5

-Chapter 5-  
________________________________________________________________________  
Linka and Gi were walking to the beach after the meeting when   
they saw the green-haired girl sitting on a handmade beach towel in the   
sand, watching the ocean waves clashing the shore. She hummed a tune   
that both girls were unfamiliar with, but they really enjoyed listening.   
She felt their eyes and turned, but, instead of acting as dismayed as   
she felt, she simply smiled at them. "Bon jour! Bien jour, èst cè   
mal?" she asked pleasantly. Gi stared at her with genuine confusion,   
while Linka smiled- she still remembered at least a little bit of the   
French she'd learned in Russia.  
  
"Ah, bon jour a vous, ausi! Mon amì et moi, nous cogner   
mal muy français," Linka told the girl. Then, returning to the English   
language, she said, "My name is Linka: I'm from Russia, but I know a   
small amount of French, as you could tell." She reached out her hand   
for a shake.  
  
Pleased, the newcomer obliged to the handshake, as she had   
been to the United States a few times. "Ah, a Russian! That is good!   
You speak français very well too, Linka. I am Kathrina Draeux, from   
France."  
  
"I'm Gi, from Asia," said Gi, following Linka's   
suit by motioning for a handshake. Her hand was not ignored, either.  
  
"So, you two are good friends, nón? For how long?" Kathrina   
asked them.  
  
"Ever since we discovered that we both liked Skyrunner, which was about   
five or six years ago- wasn't it, Gi?" Linka asked, trying to see if   
her best friend for however long could remember.  
  
"About six years ago, Linka, after we became Planeteers." Gi   
answered.  
  
"Da, now I remember- thanks, Gi."  
  
"Pardon moi, but who is Skyrunner? I've heard of DC Talk, Kellie   
Clarkson, and Marilyn Manson, whom I hope I never have to listen to in   
my life. But I have never heard of Skyrunner!" Kathrina seemed a   
little confused when they mentioned the name, as she was being honest   
about not hearing about him.  
  
"He's a Native American music idol,"   
Gi said, remembering how the Planeteers helped him understand what was   
really going on at his concerts. "Once, when Linka and I got a chance   
to actually go to one of his concerts, it turned out that Hoggish   
Greedly was using the amphitheater it was at as a dumping ground for   
trash. Of course, poor Skyrunner didn't know about it until we told   
him, but we got word to him just in time to stop Greedly from going   
through with his plans, and Skyrunner's concert continued on schedule."  
  
"So, Kathrina, who all do you like to listen to?" Wheeler said,   
as he joined in. He had overheard most of the conversation, after she   
had introduced herself. Along with him were Kwame and Ma-Ti, who had   
originally hoped to go surfing until they heard the three girls   
talking. Kathrina was very surprised that this guy knew her by name.  
  
"Ah, Kathrina, this is Wheeler,   
Kwame, and Ma-Ti. Guys, this is Kathrina- she's from France." Gi   
said, motioning to each of them as she named them, giving them time to   
shake each other's hands.  
  
"Well, Wheeler, I'm mainly into Christian music, so most of the ones I   
listen to you wouldn't really know about. But right now, I'm really   
into MercyMe, ZoeGIRL, Plus One, and Out Of Eden." After waiting for   
a few seconds as it sunk in, Kathrina continued. "I think it's   
actually been more helpful to me- with any other genre of music, I   
might be suicidal and depressed. I listened to a song by Nellie   
recently, and I almost barfed- he is so sick-minded!"  
  
"Da!" Linka said in agreement.  
  
"Hey, Sonia? Where did you put my plush kitten?"   
another girl's voice resounded.  
  
"Ah, Natalie! Come over here- I'm talking with the other five   
Planeteers!" called Kathrina to the new arrival.  
  
"Hello, everyone!" she said as she sauntered up to the group   
that had gathered so far. "My name's Natalie- I'm from England, as   
you can tell by my accent." Everyone introduced themselves to her   
before another girl, who was apparently Sonia (from Mexico), joined   
them. Up until then, however, Natalie had forgotten about her plush   
kitten. 


	6. Chapter 6

-Chapter 6-  
_________________________________________________________________________  
Linka and Wheeler were laughing their heads off when they got   
into the Geo-Boat after Linka, who taken it out for a spin because she   
wanted some "alone time", nearly "drowned". It had all been planned by   
she and Wheeler- she would go out into the deeper waters, sit on the   
side of the Geo-Boat, and, arms flailing, would "lose" her balance and   
fall into the water. After a few seconds of flailing in the water, she   
would start to sink and Wheeler would swim out and "rescue" her. Once   
back to the surface, they would go to the Geo-Boat and have their talk.   
So far, so good, Linka thought, still enjoying the fact that they had   
both found some time to talk with each other and pulled a prank on the   
other eight Planeteers- and it wasn't even April Fool's Day! That fact   
alone started them laughing again when Linka mentioned it.  
  
"Hoo! That was fun! I can't believe we actually did   
that!" Wheeler said, out of breath from "rescuing" Linka. All he was   
able to do now was talk about it and laugh.  
  
"Da! I almost laughed while I was 'drowning',   
Wheeler! But where would we be if I had?" she asked with a blush.  
  
"I don't know, Linka- I just don't know." He looked at her blushing   
face and smiled. It was times like this that made her look like a   
princess to him. Then he turned slightly more serious when he said,  
"Did you mean it when you said I was yours on the beach?"  
  
Looking up at him, seeing his eyes staring into hers, she said,  
"Well, I also said that it was up to you. Do you remember that?" She   
had said it kindly, unhurriedly.  
  
"And I'm saying I'm yours if you want me, Linka." He replied. Then   
he figured he'd better rephrase it, just in case she was in shock.   
"In other words, do you want to and will you be my girlfriend? I know   
it isn't Valentine's Day, but I would like to know." When she hugged   
him, that was answer enough for him.  
  
When he kissed her, that was answer enought for her.  
  
When those on the shore saw them kiss, that was what they were all   
waiting for.  
  
When Zarm saw it, however, he got very angry and vowed to get back at   
Gaia and her friend Gaius- using these two lovebirds as bait. 


	7. Chapter 7

-Chapter 7-  
________________________________________________________________________  
"Ooh, Dern it! Everytime I get so close to beating you, Gi, I   
end up on the losing end of things!" Natalie stated to her new friend,   
as they played a very advanced game of Tic-Tac-Toe.  
  
Gi just snickered as Natalie vented her very fake   
frustration. "Well, when you've played this version for as long as I   
have, you won't mind when someone else wins. You'll get the hang of   
it- I promise." Natalie tried to pout, but it only sent both girls   
into uncontrolable laughter.  
  
Suddenly, there was a fading scream for help coming from the beach   
where Linka and Wheeler had been enjoying each other's company. The   
scream was followed by footsteps entering the fortress entrance, where   
Matthew, the new Australian Planeteer, Elisio, the new Brazilian   
Planeteer, Kwame, and Ma-Ti were looking through the trunk that they   
kept the sports equipment in, trying to find the football and jersies.   
"Hey, Wheeler! Wanna do some American football?" Elisio asked.  
  
"Not now, Elisio- maybe when Linka's   
safe and sound here." Wheeler looked angry, scared, and tired all at   
the same time.  
  
"Wheeler, Gaia told us to..." Ma-Ti began, before he looked at his   
friend and realized what had happened. He then dropped his jersy and   
the football bag. "Who took her, Wheeler?"  
  
One name escaped his lips: "Zarm." After he spoke, all energy left   
him as he blacked out.  
  
"Planeteer Alert!" came the announcement from Gaia and Gaius.   
The emergency didn't have to be mentioned- the Planeteers already knew. 


	8. Chapter 8

-Chapter 8-  
___________________________________________________________________________  
The fogginess started to clear as Wheeler slowly returned to conciousness.   
Zarm had kidnapped his Linka and there was nothing he could have done   
about it. As much as he wanted to burn the helicopter Zarm was using,   
he knew better. If he did, he would have not only killed his enemy- he   
would have killed Linka, which was what Zarm would probably have been   
expecting. He opened his eyes and was greeted by darkness, as night had   
fallen and a storm was coming over the ocean.  
  
Looking out at the clouds, Wheeler let a tear fall. Once, when   
Linka was crying over her pet cat, which everyone who knew her thought   
would die from cancer, Wheeler had just held her and told her, "Tears   
are like rain, you know? They come and they come until they have done   
what they can and then they leave. Just keep crying, babe- keep crying.   
I'm right here."  
  
All Linka had said was, "Thank you." That was enough.  
  
Now that Zarm had her, Wheeler couldn't bear to even stay on Hope Island.   
He could only do one thing so that he'd want to stay- get Linka back on   
his own! He got up and went over to his desk. Using his dry-erase board,   
which he got to save a few more trees, he wrote a quick note, not noticing   
that Kwame was watching him.  
  
"You'd better erase that, Wheeler." The voice startled   
him at first, but, when he saw who it was, he relaxed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kwame, but I've made up my mind- I   
will get Linka out of there myself."  
  
"Well, okay, but the group was going to go, get Linka out of   
Misery Isle, and use Captain Planet and Amazoness to take care of Zarm."  
  
"Wait a minute: When did you all   
plan this and who is Amazoness?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough- now get that note off of there and get   
ready to go! We're all leaving in about five minutes, with or without   
you!"  
  
"Yes, Sir, Mr. Kwame, Sir!" Wheeler saluted smartly and dodged   
before Kwame could charge after him, laughing as he did so. 


	9. Chapter 9

-Chapter 9-  
_________________________________________________________________________  
"Do you know how it feels to be alone, Linka?" a   
dark voice said to the girl who bravely sat untied and ungagged in a   
small chair, in a locked room. "You seem to have forgotten that I, Zarm,   
have kidnapped you from your dearest Wheeler. Hah! Well, I shall soon   
change your mind about being a Planeteer, when you find out what I will   
do to you."  
  
She said nothing to Zarm for a few seconds. Then, slyly, she replied   
with a deep-rooted sense of strength. "Even if I wanted to forget about   
Wheeler, I couldn't. And even if I were to hate being a Planeteer, there   
would be nothing to stop me from staying just to make you mad, Zeek!"   
She knew that calling him by something close to his name, but not by his   
exact name, she would get on his nerves, but she didn't like this guy one   
iota, and therefore found it easy to make fun of him.  
  
"For the last time, it's Zarm, not Zeek!" the weird guy squeaked   
with anger, but it only amused Linka. She had never seen a grow guy   
throw a tantrum over something so tiny as a name! She had to bite her   
tongue to keep herself from laughing.  
  
Even though her face was trying to keep from laughing, Linka's heart was   
crying, trying to reach the one she cared about most, aside from her   
dear grandmother and brother Mishka. In her heart she was pleading with   
Wheeler's.  
  
Wheeler, it said, please help me! I want out of this dump. Oh, hurry!   
I'm very afraid. But, Wheeler, above all that I say, I want you to know   
this- I love you!  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
About halfway between Hope Island and Misery Isle, Wheeler gasped.   
He was sure that was Linka's voice he had heard! He turned to Ma-Ti, who   
had seen his face change from worrysome to energetic. "Can you try to find   
out what Linka is telling me, Ma-Ti? I can feel her calling me- I know it's   
her!"  
  
"Sure enough, Wheeler," his friend said. Holding his ring   
up to his forhead, he focused on his target and whispered, "Heart!" As the   
invisible waves pulsed, Wheeler hoped that Linka was alright and was not at   
all tired anymore. "She- she says to help her quickly and that she is   
afraid. And-" Ma-Ti paused, surprised at what else her heart had said.  
  
"And?" Wheeler said, afraid that maybe Ma-Ti had lost contact with her   
before the message had been finished- or that she hadn't gotten to finish   
it!  
  
"And she said, and I quote, 'But, Wheeler, above all that I say, I want   
you to know this- I love you!' And that was all that she said!"  
  
Looking out the window, watching unseeingly as they approached Misery   
Isle, the last three words Ma-Ti had spoken from Linka's heart filled his   
with determination.  
  
I must get Linka back to safety, he thought, if not for her sake, then for   
mine- I love you too, Linka! The last five words were thought as if she   
could hear them being said.  
  
And those words had been heard by her heart. 


	10. Chapter 10

-Chapter 10-  
__________________________________________________________________________________  
As the floating vehicle rested just above the beach of Misery Isle, a   
figure wearing all black jumped out and headed through the forest of rotting and   
fallen trees. One of these days the group was going to have to clean this place   
up. The figure couldn't think of that now, though- he was here on a very vital   
mission. Without his Linka, there would be no way to summon Captain Planet and   
bring down Zarn for the time being! Slowly, he noticed sleeping figures all over   
the ground in the woods and at the front of the fortress. Good thing Ma-Ti and   
Sonia came along, he thought, I'll have to thank them when I get Linka out of   
this. He made a mental note as he spied the door open a crack. Deciding taking   
that route would be too risky for both Linka and him, he analized for another way   
into the compound.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Linka had been nearly dozing, despite the fact that she was a   
prisoner to this madman, when she heard a noise above her head. When she looked   
up, the vent directly above her was moving and clanking. She almost called for   
Wheeler, but then remembered where she was. Then she was glad that she had not   
been bound, as she was good at knocking bad guys out with her gut-busting kicks.   
If whoever it was trying to get in was another of Zarm's goons, they were going   
to find themselves at the other end of the room. Getting out of the chair, she   
poised herself for attack. The vent moved and then disappeared inside. Come on   
down! Linka thought, You're the next punching bag for Linka's right foot! The   
thought almost made her laugh. Just when she thought the creep was about to pop   
down through the vent, a handsome, very familiar, very determined face with red   
hair showed up. "Wheeler?" Linka almost shouted for joy, restraining herself   
with the fact that they were still in Zarm's fortress, turning it into a   
whisper.  
  
Landing soundlessly on his feet, a trick Kwame had taught him when he learned   
self-defense karate, Wheeler looked relieved to her. "Ma-Ti used the Heart   
ring and found you were safe, but afraid, and he gave your message to me." he   
whispered to her. "I wish we could kiss now, but Zarn would catch us and kill   
us both."  
  
"Ah, Wheeler, I am so glad you are here with me. Let's   
get out of here- there's not time enough for us to stay and talk now." she   
replied.  
  
The door to the room opened and a dark voice spoke. "Oh, but you do have,   
Linka!" Zarn stood at the entrance, gun pointed at them, though no guards   
were with him. "I'd say your precious Wheeler here ought to say his last   
farewells to you, and you to him. Hah! So you thought that by whispering,   
I would not hear you, huh? Well, had you been smart enough to stay away from   
here, you wouldn't be in this predicament, Wheeler! How clever for you to   
have your Ma-Ti friend lull my comrades to sleep with his Heart ring, too!   
Well, with what I'll do to both of you, there will be no need for a Heart   
ring-induced sleep!"  
  
"Or, with what I shall do to you, you will actually need a Heart   
ring- and medication-induced sleep!" came a femanine voice from behind   
Zarn. As he turned to look at the newcomer, a fist collided with his   
face and, when combined with his head hitting the floor, knocked him   
unconcious. Looking at Zarn, their heroine said, "Well, that's at least   
one less jerk for me to deal with. Oh, and by the way, I'm Amazoness,   
Linka."  
  
"Huh? How did you..." Linka started.  
  
"Let's just say that, while Zarn had expected Wheeler to come to   
your rescue, he didn't know about me and therefore didn't know what hit   
him- or who, in his case." Linka smirked at Amazoness, but not unkindly-   
Captain Planet was definitely going to enjoy having a girlfriend like   
Amazoness. "Well, let's get out of here and get your hero! It looks   
like this place needs a good clean-up," Amazoness said, pointing her thumb   
towards Zarm.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The trio sauntered up to the rest, Wheeler holding Linka's hand. Neither   
were embarrassed to be doing so, although the others seemed a bit surprised   
to see Wheeler being so affectionate. Clearing his throat, Kwame said,   
"Well, now that Wheeler and Linka are with us now, let our powers combine!   
Earth!"  
"Fire!"  
"Wind!"  
"Water!"  
"Heart!"  
With a swirl of color and elements, the champion appeared and, of course,   
spoke his introductory words before getting to work. Captain Planet was   
very pleased with the fact that he now had a companion to help him- his   
only hope now was that she felt likewise. What was he feeling just now?   
His thoughts and emotions ran wildly inside him- he had never seen such a   
beautiful being in his life!  
  
When they had finished sending Zarm, his company and his   
fortress back to outer space where he came from, Captain Planet looked at   
Amazoness, who looked back at him, emotions showing in each other's eyes.   
He silently cupped her chin and said, "Have you ever wondered, beautiful   
Amazoness, what it feels like when you fall in love?"  
  
She looked like a schoolgirl who had just gotten her first crush, as she   
told him, "Until today, I have always wondered silently, Captain Planet."  
  
Leaning closer, he said, "I guess we both know how it feels now, then."   
Suddenly things became like a scene from a romance movie. He leaned in   
further, she got on her tip-toes, and they kissed- even her foot, which   
had been on the ground until now, popped up! They didn't even notice the   
Planeteers watching them until they both, even though superheroes, stopped   
to get air. All they did was smile- they were happy, as were Wheeler and   
Linka.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Planeteers! Have you retrieved Linka from Misery Isle? And who is that   
handsome young man all dressed in black?" said the image of Gaia on the   
Geo-Cruiser screen, good humor in her voice and manor- she knew who the   
guy in the black duds was, but was only teasing them.  
  
"Eh, Gaia! This here's Wheeler- you don't recognize him?" asked   
Matthew the Australian, in an equally teasing voice. Linka and Wheeler   
pouted and then laughed, causing Gaia and Gaius, who was with Gaia as   
they spoke, to laugh themselves.  
  
"Actually, I have a message for Kathrine." said Gaius, who felt it   
necessary to let the young Frenchwoman know a few facts before she   
returned to Hope Island. "It appears your birth mother, Barbara   
Blight, has recovered from her allergy temporarilly. She has asked   
the government, however, to make it look like she died anyway and to   
give her a new identity, so you won't have to go by your old last   
name anymore.  
"I will try to do my best in explaining things to the rest of you, but   
for now, come on back to Hope Island. Gaia and I have decided to get   
married and are inviting all of you, plus Captain Planet and Amazoness,   
to our wedding feast, which is all prepared for you. Hurry fast, and   
we shall see you all soon."  
  
After the interaction ended, Ma-Ti gently asked Kathrina the question   
that was on all of their minds: "What is going on?" 


	11. Chapter 11

-Chapter 11-  
__________________________________________________________________________  
Kathrina sighed, resigning to tell her story. "Oui, of course I   
will tell everyone. But I need your promise to listen completely, even if   
you find yourselves not believing me." All nodded in agreement, so she   
began.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kathrina:  
I myself have just recently found out about this. When I was born, the   
woman you know as Barbara Blight was Kathrina Meaux. She wasn't able to   
take care of me, so she gave me over to her sister-in-law, Serenity   
Draeux. For years, I believed that I was Serenity's daughter, but always   
wondered why I felt so attached to "Aunt Barb." I became a Planeteer when   
I recieved a famanine ring of Earth, like Kwame has a masculine one. Once   
I was initiated with the others, though, Serenity said that Aunt Barb was   
going to be very mad with me, because she hated the Planeteers. She never   
told me that, soon after I joined all of you, my "aunt" fell ill from an   
unusual allergy to the ingredient in gasoline called gashol.  
  
A few weeks ago, Serenity and Uncle Mark died in a car crash, no   
thanks to Hoggish Greedly, the old drunk. I couldn't bear to stay in that   
house, so I moved all of my things to Hope Island, taking time to visit   
"Barb". Well, last Friday, before I became an official resident on Hope   
Island, I was visiting with "Aunt" Barb, as usual, when she told me how   
she gave me over to Serenity to raise me and that she did so both for my   
sake and for hers. For my sake, because she couldn't take care of me, and   
for her sake, because she wasn't quite able to take care of herself, even   
though she was a big time scientist. I remember, just before she went   
into a coma, she told me that she was proud of me because I became a   
Planeteer! I know you all have a hard time believing me. She told me to   
tell you all something, but she went into a coma before she got the chance   
to tell me the message.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	12. Chapter 12

-Chapter 12-  
_________________________________________________________________________  
Despite the events of the past two days, Wheeler and Linka were   
content. As they held hands walking along the beach, however, someone   
else was on their minds- Kathrina. They were kind to her because Gaia   
and Gaius had asked them to and Ma-Ti had used his Heart ring to detect   
if there was anything else she was hiding, but he found nothing.  
  
"Wheeler?"  
  
"Yes, Babe?"  
  
"What do you think about Kathrina?"  
  
"She's nice- she's already proven herself to be a good friend to   
everyone on Hope Island. I just wish Sonia were nicer towards her and   
the rest of us. I understand that she's still adjusting to her new   
environment, but she acts as if it's Kathrina's fault that her mother   
was Dr. Blight."  
  
Linka nodded in agreement. The other seven, not counting Sonia, were   
thinking likewise. "I remember when you were like Sonia, except she has   
a good background and you had to fight to survive. I'm surprised that   
she claims to be more mature than the rest of us."  
  
Even Gaia, who heard them talking, found herself thinking. I guess Gaius   
was thinking another person when he sent the femanine Heart ring to Mexico,   
she decided. Sonia had never been very happy about becoming a Planeteer.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Gaia, I must tell you something about the femanine Heart ring."  
said Gaius to his soon-to-be bride.  
  
"Please do, Gaius- there has been something strange going on with Sonia   
ever since she came to Hope Island." Gaia replied concernedly.  
  
"Sonia was not the one I had sent the ring to- it was her   
sister Amelia, who recieved it." The words came as no surprise to Gaia.   
"It seems that when Sonia saw the ring on her sister's hand, she waited   
until Amelia went on a trip with some friends, knowing that she'd always   
leave her jewelry behind. Once in posession of the ring, Sonia was brought   
here by Matthew and was mistaken for Amelia until she demanded that we all   
call her by her name. She started behaving like this towards everyone,   
especially Kathrina after she explained to everyone her true history."  
  
"We need to send her back to Mexico, then, and get Amelia here."  
  
"I've already done that- Matthew is already heading back with the   
femanine Heart ring's true owner. They ought to arrive at any time." 


	13. Epilogue

-Epilogue-Three and a Half Months Later  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
Linka, wearing a Mardis Gras sun mask and dressed as a Grecian goddess,   
was sitting at a table at the masquerade party for Captain Planet's and   
Amazoness's wedding. She did not notice the figure coming towards her, wearing   
a mask that hid only the eyes and outlined the cheekbones, a tuxedo, a black   
velvet cape, and white handgloves, until he was right beside her. He held his   
right hand behind his back, but motioned for her to dance with him, to which   
she agreed. As the music started, she recognized it from Kathrina's Out of   
Eden CD, which she had been humming the day they met her and the others, minus   
Amelia, who arrived two days later.  
  
"I love this song, Linka!" Kathrina had said. "It is called 'Here's My Heart'.   
Listen, Linka! Just listen!"  
  
Linka and the figure, a figure that Linka knew was Wheeler, simply   
swayed to the music and the lyrics seemed to reflect what was in their hearts.  
  
Dear love, are you there, Listening to me, how I'm scared.  
I don't know exactly what to say. I've been told that you love me,  
Hear me when I call, Would help me when I fall.  
I'd never get in your way.  
What I guess I'm trying to say, that I need you in my life  
I know I'm tired of living in the past.  
I'd like to take a chance on a change down deep inside.  
I believe that this is one that's gonna last. So here it is.  
  
Here's my heart; it's been broken, it's been wounded,  
But I'll give it all to you if you would love me (love me).  
Here's my life; if you want it, you can have it.  
I will give it all to you because you love me (your love is   
Everything I need)  
  
Dear one, I'm right here, through your worries, through your fears.  
I've been waiting, for you to call my name.  
Oh you know that I hear you- if you turn to me and trust what I   
Say's true, you'll never be the same.  
Well I'm standing here to say, that you need me in your life,  
Cause I know we cannot make it on our own.  
Oh if you would take a chance, let me change you deep inside.  
I promise you will never be alone. So here it is.  
  
Here's my heart; it's been broken, it's been wounded,  
But I'll give it all to you if you would love me (love me).  
Here's my life; if you want it, you can have it.  
I will give it all to you because you love me (your love is  
Everything I need)  
  
You can turn to me and know that I am always standing by.  
I gave it all for you so you could have me always by your side.  
I will follow you, 'cause I believe you're everything I need.  
You are my beloved, you are my hero, and in the matters of the   
Heart I am taking yours and you are taking mine.  
  
Here's my heart; it's been broken, it's been wounded,  
But I'll give it all to you if you would love me (love me).  
Here's my life; if you want it , you can have it.  
I will give it all to you because you love me.  
  
The chorus continued three more times, but instead of continuing their dance,   
Wheeler got down on one knee and brought out what he had been holding behind   
his back- a white rose with a diamond ring around the stem. That alone sent   
Wheeler's message to Linka: "Will you marry me, my Linka?"  
  
The kiss she gave him was answer enough: "Da, my Wheeler- I will marry you!"  
  
The scene that was unfolding spoke only a few words between them both: "I love   
you forever!" 


	14. Chapter 14

Quick note to the readers: Sorry it's been so long since I've written a fic. I'll get on the next one right away! Later! 


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